Kevin Ley

Stephen Schwarzman said at Davos on Monday that proposed new tax increases and a dispute with TPG is hurting Australia’s image with foreign investors, as the government seeks feedback from private equity firms about how they are being impacted.

The firm is partnering with Jonathan Grayer, a former CEO of an education-focused company, to find investments in education, consumer services and marketing.

The specialist investment bank has appointed Paul Bail as a director in its debt advisory team, part of its efforts in the last few years to increase its private equity profile and cater to the needs of GPs.

Former GoldenTree partner Oliver Wriedt is joining the firm’s Capital Markets Group, which was created in 2008 by former Deutsche Bank Securities CEO Thomas Gahan to invest in the debt of media- and communications-focused companies.

ASU 2009-12 is not the free pass GPs and LPs have been hoping for, despite tantalising press reports in September that indicated that the recent FASB accounting standard update would lessen their valuation workload.

A group of accountants from Eisner offered their tips this week for getting through the next year-end audit: be in contact with your auditors throughout the year, and make sure you’ve got everything in writing.

A group of prominent Dutch pensions has joined the chorus warning about the negative impact of proposed EU regulations on alternative funds, saying in a recent letter that such measure could cost the country’s pension fund and asset managers €1.5 billion a year.

The recent name change to FAS 157, which is now known as ASC 820, is part of an effort to make it easier to research accounting issues. However, it may lead to some initial time costs as firms and accountants adjust.

Morrison Cohen’s David Lerner on the costs of SEC registration.

Dechert’s Adam Levin on the EU Directive.